Popzara Podcast

Article: Purple Rain: 40th Anniversary Edition

In the 80s, there were so many talented and awesome musicians out there that also had that certain mystique about them. Michael Jackson and Prince are two that immediately come to mind, and it’s no surprise Hollywood tried to capitalize on them whenever they could.

Movie Time! Surf’s Up and the American Dream: Gidget (1959) and The Endless Summer (1966)

It’s Popzara’s Movie Time! Podcast, where our in-house movie nerds Ethan Brehm and Nate Evans take you on an unscripted journey yakking and chatting about some of their favorite movie moments and cinematic scenes, from past and present, presented without snark and snobbery for your listening pleasure.

On deck for this episode are two mid-century movies that would define not just the “surfer movie” genre, but would dramatically influence the American culture landscape.

First up is 1959’s Gidget, Paul Wendkos’ classic starring Sandra Dee in her most iconic role as the lovable, irrepressible title character. Long credited as jump-starting both the summer beach movie genre and helping turn the sport of surfing into a national craze, beneath its bubbly exterior hides a deeper, more complex examination of a post-WW2 generational shift that would change America – and how young Americans saw themselves – forever.

Next is 1966’s The Endless Summer, Bruce Brown’s groundbreaking documentary showcasing a preternatural love not just for the sport of surfing, but those who dedicate their lives searching for the elusive perfect wave. Brown’s film, using only footage and his colorful commentary, manages to capture both the spirit of the 1960s while maintaining an optimistic outlook for humanity, despite the enormous cultural upheaval happening across the world.

The State of Gaming June 2024: Elden Ring DLC, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, Shin Megami Tensei V, Monster Hunter Stories, Beyond Good and Evil 20th, Riven, Banana Click, and Summer Gaming

It’s The State of Gaming Podcast, Popzara’s in-depth look at what’s shaking up the gaming landscape delivered on a monthly basis. Listen as hosts Cory Galliher and Nate Evans guide you through the best, worst, and everything else making headlines and headway in the world of interactive entertainment.

The Biggest Games of June 2024

The biggest games of the month include: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, Monster Hunter Stories, Still Wakes the Deep, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, and….Banana Clicker?

Other notables include: Riven, V Rising (PS5), Assassin’s Creed Mirage (iOS), Star Wars: Hunters, Metal Slug Attack Reloaded, SPY×ANYA: Operation Memories, Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked, Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition, and Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game.

Everything Else

But there’s more! But there’s more! The troubled Street Fighter Movie is still coming, despite losing its Australian directors, in March 2026 from Sony! Speaking of Street Fighter, get ready to snag Hori’s SF-emblazoned Fighting Commander Octa SF6 Edition Controllers showcasing Cammy and Juri! E3 is dead and gone, but that doesn’t mean the summer gaming extravaganza can’t go on. Between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, which company had the best presentation?

Article: The Bikeriders (2024)

Rugged biker gangs, wearing patched-up greaser jackets, convening in derelict, smokey bars aptly named “The Bad Part of Town” have been cultural staples and synonymous with classic Americana since the 1950s. Unfortunately, this group has seen much of its original roots forgotten within the greater cultural zeitgeist, only showing up in modern times as stereotypical thugs or militant roughnecks.

Article: Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

How do you go about adding to a game that a sizable number of people would call one of the best ever made? Could you toss another few time periods into Chrono Trigger and still have the same game, just more of it? How about a new chunk of the Super Metroid map? Can a pinnacle of perfection like Balan Wonderworld really be improved? No Man's Sky certainly proved that it's possible to have  a long (and improved) life beyond launch. We'll leave all these questions aside and focus, instead, on Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, the spicy new DLC expansion for FromSoftware's ultra-tough open-world blockbuster that taught the world there's no shame in dying over and over as long as you're having fun.

Article: Brats (2024)

Inspired by the energy bottled up in George Lucas’ American Graffiti and playing off the rambunctious stage set by Amy Heckerling’s Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the ‘80s teen movie scene is one of the rare categories that gets talked about like an actual genre in its own right. Led by major players such as John Hughes, Cameron Crowe, Joel Schumacher, and Howard Deutch, among others, these films collected some of the brightest acting talents of the time and gave them a voice.

Article: SaGa: Emerald Beyond

If I were a more indulgent writer, I'd introduce this game by going on, at length, about how the mainstreaming of the internet has had its ups and downs, and one of those downsides might be the way that culture is becoming increasingly sterile over time. Pockets of weird are becoming a bit harder to find, and I'm talking real weird, the kind of weird that you weren't even sure you actually experienced when you wake up the next morning.

Article: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

Nintendo's Switch is powered by a fantastic concept - take the same games you play at home on the go without having to compromise in terms of performance or gameplay. By and large, the Switch kept this promise, but it does so in a "corrupted wish" fashion worthy of the most sinister genie: as the years have ground on since the Switch's release, you can feel confident that performance parity is achieved by having games run poorly in every situation, whether playing docked or handheld.

Article: Logitech Keys-To-Go 2 Keyboard

Logitech’s slimmer, lighter Key-2-Go 2 Keyboard is an exercise in compromises, offering users a versatile and comfortable typing experience..

Article: Assassin’s Creed Mirage (iOS)

Let’s be honest, when you think of Apple products, gaming isn’t one of the words that comes to mind. I have to give them credit though as they’ve been putting in work to change that, starting with last year’s port of Resident Evil Village that looked and ran just as well as its PC and console counterparts, with the exception of a lower framerate and some graphic options.

Article: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Being a lifelong giant monster fan, I was past excited when 2014’s Godzilla hit the states, followed by 2017’s Kong: Skull Island which would set the stage for these two kings to clash in 2021’s Godzilla vs Kong which me, my family and friends loved.  So I was more than hyped when I learned another entry was coming with this year’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire that smashes its way onto 4K to bring some mindless monster fun home, all while looking and sounding awesome doing so.

Article: Road House (2024)

Unintentionally juxtaposing the grimy filth of an actual dive bar with the gloss of the modern-day streaming palette, the 2024 Road House remake may be doomed from the very start. It never seems to realize that much of the charm of Rowdy Herrington's 1989 original comes from a film grain that matches its smoke-filled sets; you can almost smell the spilled beer and dried vomit lodged in the crevices between the wooden floorboards.

Article: Hit Man (2024)

Richard Linklater has long been one of the most versatile filmmakers in the industry. While he does prefer a specific lane — hangout comedies like Dazed and Confused, Slacker, and SubUrbia — the writer-director has found an equally strong voice with other types of films as well, regardless of financial success.

Article: System Shock Remake

Ah, the cyberpunk future! There's a lot of apocalyptic murmuring about how we're well on our way to techno-dystopia, but I say bring it on! The sooner I can get uploaded into a robot body, the better, and I'm hoping we see some AI bots that are a little more impressive than AIM's SmarterChild was back in 2007 sooner than later. For now, seems like we'll just have to rely on video games to really embrace the cyberpunk lifestyle just like we did decades ago.

Article: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Here on Popzara we're all about being open and vulnerable with our readership. That's why I'm going to admit to a secret shame: I was not a GameCube kid.